As a New Zealander visiting Australia, probably the first thing I noticed about Canberra was how flat it was.  With Auckland being comprised of 50-odd volcanic mounds, it's always a surprise to see vast expanses of smooth plains.  This thriving urban epicentre was only established around a century ago and now houses national treasures with a busy events calendar which promises to entertain the heart, mind and spirit with the flavour of Australia.

I stayed at the Forest Hotel and Apartment and thought the apartment I shared as a couple with two others was pretty ghetto.  Conversely, friends in the same booking group lived in veritable luxury.  To explain; the room rate is extremely reasonable so insist on a room with all the mod cons (plasmas, air con, spacious bathrooms, dish washer and balcony) as we discovered to our dismay these do not apply as standard!  Paper thin walls and cramped living conditions aside, its saving grace was just a short walk away in Manuka; an unofficial suburb in inner south Canberra and a juicy hub of restaurant activity.

Here I found a delectable selection of cafes, bars, brasseries and fine dining restaurants to cater to all tastes and budgets.  My two picks were incidentally right next door to each other. 'My Cafe' occupies some prime real estate in Furneaux St and the majority of the tables inhabit the best position on the block for some sun-soaked seating.  The fare was reasonable, the deserts sinfully sumptuous and they make the most divine fresh juice cocktails.  I soon discovered the 'Splice' to be the perfect thirst-quencher on a hot summer Canberra day.  Adjacent to this eatery and the next shop on the arcade is the most sublime combination of my two favourite things to eat:  salad and chocolate.  One half is dedicated to a salad and wraps bar; made to order, fresh, generous and as creative as you are.  The rest of the shop is devoted to gourmet, imported and handmade chocolates... The perfect treat after discerning restraint.

If you're looking for a cultured stay in Australia's capital, you can't look past Parliament House for an understanding of the country's political history.  For a deeper experience of the nation's character I would recommend a trip to the National Library of Australia.  It is an imposing building that houses the National Archives and Soundscreen of Australia as well as the National Sound and Film Archive.  If that sounds a bit too much like a dull school trip then try a visit to the Australian Institute of Sport.  Here you will be escorted around by a national sporting icon with plenty of hands on equipment to compete against your guide and test your abilities on.  Apart from museums and galleries which seem to be more common than freckles in this fair state, check a local production at the Street Theatre or a performance at the National School of Music.  If you happen to be in town around this time of year an absolute must-see is the National Multicultural Festival with hundreds of performers and international musical acts.

However, if I were to nominate one activity above all others and for those more inclined to a walk on the wild side, you cannot go past the National Zoo.  This is no ordinary field trip, for a little extra coin you can play soccer with cheetahs, hand-feed a lion or shark, inspect the insides of brown bears mouths, eat lunch with the giraffes and play games with the monkeys.  These tours are a little more expensive, but the enthralling experiences of interacting with exotic wildlife are guaranteed to stay with you a lifetime.

Things to know when travelling to Australia:

• In an emergency dial 000 and because they have so many more creepy crawlies than us it pays to know the Poison Info Centre number too: 13 11 26
  
  

• Summer: December to February/ Autumn: March to May/ Winter: June to August/ Spring: September to November.  Generally speaking, WA, NT and QLD states are very hot in summer but the majority of rain falls in January and February in northern QLD and parts of the NT and WA.
  
  

• Ski season in NSW, VIC and TAS is between June and September.
  
  

• To hire a car you need to be over 21 with an international driver's license but bear in mind Australia has some of the strictest drink-driving laws in the world with a limit of 0.05% and harsh penalties for non-observers.
  
  

• Australian phone networks are light years ahead of ours.  If you're staying more than a week buy an Aussie sim-card a $29 top-up gives you $150 credit!

Article by Katy Thomas

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